Leese Phelps’s road hasn’t been an easy one, but it’s brought him to the perfect job — working for the elite Body Armor security agency. And what his newest assignment lacks in size, she makes up for in fire and backbone. But being drawn to Catalina Nicholson is a dangerous complication, especially since it could be the very man who hired Leese who’s threatening her.

What Catalina knows could get her killed. But who’d believe the sordid truth about her powerful stepfather? Beyond Leese’s ripped body and brooding gaze is a man of impeccable honour. He’s the last person she expects to trust — and the first who’s ever made her feel safe. And he’s the only one who can help her expose a deadly secret, if they can just stay alive long enough...

I have long been a Lori Foster fan. She’s one of the few auto-read authors I have. Some of my favorite re-reads are her books. I am always looking forward to her upcoming releases, but I was especially excited for Under Pressure, the first book in Lori Foster’s new Body Armour series. While I absolutely enjoyed Under Pressure by Lori Foster, it didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

What I Liked:

I loved Leese a lot. As he was a recurring character from her previous series, I already knew Leese. But I ended up liking him even more in Under Pressure. He’s starting a new job as a bodyguard, and he takes it very seriously.

I also appreciated that Leese admitted to the time he was kind of a jerk (from previous series) and actively worked to be a better person.

I loved how protective Leese was with Cat. She was in danger, and he was determined to keep her safe, even risking his own safety.

I liked Cat. I didn’t love her (more below) but I liked her. She is a nice person, and she means well. She never wanted anyone hurt trying to protect her, and while that frustrated me at times, I did respect it.

Cat and Leese made a cute couple. I did want them to be together, although I wasn’t super invested in their relationship (more on that below).

I also liked how open Cat was with Leese. She did not hide the fact that she was interested in him.

Justice, who was a side character, was awesome! To be quite honest, he might have been my favorite character, and I am for sure looking forward to his book.

What I Struggled With:

I never felt the connection between Leese and Cat. I did want them to be together, but more because I was reading a romance, and not so much because I just felt like they were the best couple ever.

Cat was kind of frustrating, from her refusal to give information to body guards who were trying to help her, to how she acted sometimes. For instance, she gets all fancied up when she’s hiding out, and the whole scene felt odd. I had a hard time believing she was get all dressed up when crazy things were happening.

The suspense and mystery aspects were a little sketchy, in my opinion. A number of times things happened that felt more like a way to move the plot, instead of things that would realistically happen.

There were a lot of peculiar names in this book: Leese, Webb.

Final Thoughts:

Although I love Lori Foster’s books, not all can be winners. Under Pressure wasn’t a home run book for me, but it is a pleasant read. I’m glad I read it, and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

11 Responses to “Review: Under Pressure by Lori Foster”

I really really really need to pick up a book by Lori Foster. I like the sound the apologetic hero here, but bummer the romance wasn’t all that for you. It’s always sucky when you can’t really feel the connection between the couple. I’ll be sure to not pick this one up as my first Lori Foster book!

I’m a huge fan of Lori Foster. Her books are so comforting to me, usually. I’ve seen a lot of people liking this book more than I did, so maybe you would like it. I really love Just a Hint Clint and Jude’s Law by Foster.

I haven’t read Lori Foster yet but I’m a sucker for the body guard type plot. I love the sound of the characters though Cat’s getting dressed up in hiding does sound a little strange. I’ve read a few romances where I like the characters a lot but they just don’t feel like they belong together and this sounds like one of those. I do love the sound of Leese’s growth and the fact that he owns up to it.

I love a bodyguard romance, too! I didn’t dislike this book, but I just didn’t feel the romance. You know that feeling when you just KNOW that the hero and heroine belong together. I never had it with this one.

I liked Leese’s evolution in the previous series but I think I might be done with Ms. Foster’s books now. They might just be getting too formulaic (is that the right word?). I have a feeling that I would think Cat’s actions were ridiculous, too!!! Perfect review and I would have rated it most likely exactly the same!

I really love Lori Foster, but her more recent books haven’t been home runs for me. I love Just a Hint Clint and Jude’s Law so much, though. And I do like a lot of her novellas. I’m hoping that the next book in this series is a better match for me.

Good review! I haven’t read anything by Foster yet. Which read would you recommend by her? I want to check her out but maybe with one more reflective of her better writing style. I will check this one out though. Haven’t read any romance in a looooong time.

The new characters were really interesting. I really loved Justice, and Sahara was totally kick ass. I don’t always mind instalove, to be honest, but I just didn’t feel a strong connection between Leese and Cat.